Arizona Coyotes alter Blackhawks schedule for 2024-25 season

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Joshua Deeds
April 10, 2024 (7:48 PM)

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The situation between the NHL and the Arizona Coyotes remains fluid as there's been development for the expansion franchise.

The Smith Entertainment group has been lobbying the NHL for a franchise for quite some time. It seems likely they may have found their way to buy into the NHL, as the Utah Jazz owners have an arena ready for an NHL squad.

«We are interested. We are ready, and we're a partner,» Smith told The Athletic this week. «The arena is done. We think we have a solution. And that's my message to the NHL.»

There was a memo which was circulated to the Board of Governors of the NHL, that there's a potential deal that could send the team to Utah.

While the deal isn't official, it remains a "verbal" agreement, which means nothing is set in stone. And there's been talk of that even being a mischaracterization of the situation.

As a result of this situation being in motion and nothing settled, the NHL will be drafting two schedules. One where the Coyotes remain in Arizona and another, where the team yet to be re-named, lands in Salt Lake City.

If a land auction does go through, the Meruelo Group and the team will likely stay in Mullett Arena for another season. This situation is pure chaos!

Sources: #NHL is drafting two schedule versions for next season - one with #Yotes in Arizona, another with the relocated franchise playing in Salt Lake City.

Fluid situation. Lots of moving parts. Details on dual paths and a potential transaction.

Link: https://t.co/wvc66RJpT9 pic.twitter.com/mI98R6GEU8� Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) April 10, 2024

If it doesn't go through, and the situation changes in Smith Entertainment Group's favor, they could pay upwards of $1.2 Billion, to buy the Arizona Coyotes and for the franchise fee to enter the NHL. The funds will be distributed among other owners in the NHL.

However, before this transaction is to move forward, Gary Bettman and the Meruelo Group are looking to exhaust all options available before a relocation occurs.

However, as we've said before, nothing is set in stone.

If Meruelo does win the auction in June, he intends to do his best to reactivate the Coyotes in the future and bring the NHL back to Arizona at a later date.